Zoo Zurich welcomes highly endangered monkeys with stub thumbs

Zoo Zurich has been home to a new monkey species since early August, Swiss broadcaster SRF reported. The highly endangered bear colobus monkeys are West African primates that spend most of their lives in the treetops.

Their short, stub-like thumbs help them move through dense branches. They can weigh up to 14 kilograms and feed mainly on leaves.

Leaves are difficult to digest, so the monkeys have a multi-chambered stomach that works similarly to a cow’s. Bacteria in fermentation chambers help break down their food, although the monkeys do not chew their food again like cows do.

Because digestion requires a great deal of energy, the animals spend about two-thirds of the day resting, sleeping or sunbathing. Their tails are almost one metre long and help them steer while climbing.

Bear colobus monkeys are highly endangered. Their habitat is shrinking mainly because people are clearing rainforests and hunting the animals. They also reproduce slowly, with females giving birth to about one young every two years.

There are currently 57 bear colobus monkeys in 14 zoos. The pair in Zurich is taking part in the European conservation breeding programme. It is later expected to move to the planned Ndoki Forest at Zoo Zurich.